Impact of Comorbidities and Antiplatelet Regimen on Platelet Reactivity Levels in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

ABSTRACT: The aim of our study is to assess the impact of anemia, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus on platelet reactivity (PR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis, both at baseline and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This study is a prespecified subanalysis of the REAC-TAVI prospective, multicenter trial that included patients pretreated with aspirin + clopidogrel before TAVI. PR was measured at baseline and at 5 different time points after TAVI with the VerifyNow assay (Accriva Diagnostics, San Diego, CA), over a 3-month follow-up period. Patients with high PR (HPR) at baseline, before TAVI (n = 48) were randomized to aspirin + clopidogrel or aspirin + ticagrelor for 3 months, whereas those with normal PR (NPR) (n = 20) were continued on aspirin + clopidogrel. A "raiser response" in PR was defined as an increase in PR units >20% of baseline after TAVI. Patients with HPR before TAVI presented concomitant anemia and chronic kidney disease more frequently than their counterparts with NPR. Anemia and higher body mass index were independently associated with HPR to clopidogrel at baseline. Moreover, anemic patients with baseline HPR who were continued on clopidogrel presented higher PR after TAVI than patients with HPR switched to ticagrelor. All patients with baseline NPR presented a "raiser response" after TAVI, which was nonexistent among patients with HPR managed with ticagrelor. In summary, anemia seems as a relevant factor associated with baseline HPR and higher PR after TAVI in patients with baseline HPR randomized to clopidogrel, whereas ticagrelor proved more effective than clopidogrel at attaining sustained reductions in PR during follow-up, regardless of baseline comorbidities.

Impact of vascular access on outcome after PCI in patients at high bleeding risk: a pre-specified sub-analysis of the LEADERS FREE trial.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The prognostic impact of bleeding in high bleeding risk (HBR) patients depending on the location of bleeding and prognosis in nonaccess site bleeding is unknown. We aimed to assess the impact of vascular access site on bleeding complications after percutaneous coronary interventions for HBR patients at 30-day and 2-year follow-up. METHODS: The LEADERS FREE trial included 2432 HBR PCI patients. A Biolimus A9 drug-coated stent was superior to a bare-metal stent for safety and efficacy. This is a predefined sub-analysis of the LEADERS FREE trial. RESULTS: Transradial access (TRA) was used in 1454 patients (59.8%) and transfemoral access (TFA) in 978 (40.2%), according to operator preference. The safety and benefits of drug-coated stents over bare-metal stents were independent of vascular access. At 30 days and 2 years, major bleeding had occurred in 2.4% and 7.5% of TRA patients and 4.6% and 10.9% of TFA patients (P=.003), respectively. Most of these events in both groups (2.1% and 7.0% for TRA; 3.2% and 9.4% for TFA, respectively) were nonaccess site-related. TRA was associated with a significant reduction in adjusted rates of major bleeding both at 30 days (HR, 1.98; 95%CI, 1.25-3.11; P=.003) and at 2 years of follow-up (HR, 1.51; 95%CI, 1.14-2.01; P=.003). This difference was driven by both access and nonaccess bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Operators preferred TRA for most HBR patients, which was associated with a significant reduction in major bleeding events. However, most of these events in this population are unrelated to vascular access.

Influence of Valve Type and Antiplatelet Regimen on Platelet Reactivity After TAVI: Subanalysis of the REAC-TAVI Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Ticagrelor has proven more effective than clopidogrel at attaining a maintained suppression of high platelet reactivity (HPR) in aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This study aims to assess the influence of implanted valve type on the degree of platelet reactivity (PR) after TAVI. METHODS: This study is a prespecified analysis of REAC-TAVI, a prospective, multicenter study that included patients on dual-antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel before TAVI. Patients with HPR (n = 48) were randomized to aspirin and clopidogrel or aspirin and ticagrelor for 3 months, while those without HPR (n = 20) were continued on aspirin and clopidogrel. PR was measured 6 hours, 24 hours, 5 days, 30 days, and 90 days after TAVI with VerifyNow assay. Bioprosthetic valves were classified as balloon-expandable valve (BEV), self-expandable valve (SEV), or other. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients comprising 32 BEVs, 28 SEVs, and 8 other valves were included. Devices were larger and postdilation was more frequent in the SEV group. Follow-up PR was lower in patients treated with ticagrelor vs those treated with clopidogrel at all time points after TAVI, including patients without baseline HPR (P<.001). PR after TAVI was similar in the three groups. Major cardiovascular adverse events, stroke, and hemorrhagic complications were comparable across the different bioprosthesis groups at 4-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of valve type on PR after TAVI is similar across the spectrum of most transcatheter valves. In our sample, ticagrelor achieved a faster and more effective reduction in PR than clopidogrel in patients with HPR undergoing TAVI, irrespective of valve type.

Assessment of Platelet REACtivity After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: The REAC-TAVI Trial.

OBJECTIVES: The REAC-TAVI (Assessment of platelet REACtivity after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) trial enrolled patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) pre-treated with aspirin + clopidogrel, aimed to compare the efficacy of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in suppressing high platelet reactivity (HPR) after TAVI. BACKGROUND: Current recommendations support short-term use of aspirin + clopidogrel for patients with severe AS undergoing TAVR despite the lack of compelling evidence. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, multicenter investigation. Platelet reactivity was measured at 6 different time points with the VerifyNow assay (Accriva Diagnostics, San Diego, California). HPR was defined as (P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) ≥208. Patients with HPR before TAVR were randomized to either aspirin + ticagrelor or aspirin + clopidogrel for 3 months. Patients without HPR continued with aspirin + clopidogrel (registry cohort). The primary endpoint was non-HPR status (PRU <208) in ≥70% of patients treated with ticagrelor at 90 days post-TAVR. RESULTS: A total of 68 patients were included. Of these, 48 (71%) had HPR (PRU 273 ± 09) and were randomized to aspirin + ticagrelor (n = 24, PRU 277 ± 08) or continued with aspirin + clopidogrel (n = 24, PRU 269 ± 49). The remaining 20 patients (29%) without HPR (PRU 133 ± 12) were included in the registry. Overall, platelet reactivity across all the study time points after TAVR was lower in patients randomized to ticagrelor compared with those treated with clopidogrel, including those enrolled in the registry (p < 0.001). The primary endpoint was achieved in 100% of patients with ticagrelor compared with 21% with clopidogrel (p < 0.001). Interestingly, 33% of clopidogrel responder patients at baseline developed HPR status during the first month after TAVR. CONCLUSIONS: HPR to clopidogrel is present in a considerable number of patients with AS undergoing TAVR. Ticagrelor achieves a better and faster effect, providing sustained suppression of HPR to these patients. (Platelet Reactivity After TAVI: A Multicenter Pilot Study [REAC-TAVI]; NCT02224066).

Not All That Blurs is Clot: An Unusual But Not Infrequent Cause of Acute Coronary Syndrome.

A 73-year-old man was admitted for non-ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography suggested intrastent thrombosis as the etiology, but optical coherence tomography revealed a non-expanded stent, which was successfuly crushed and covered with a new stent.